The Role of Kiosks in Reshaping Restaurants Post-Covid

The 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry report published by the National Restaurant Association unequivocally asserted that of all the industries in the country, restaurants suffered the worst damage due to the coronavirus pandemic last year. According to their surveys, the restaurant industry’s total sales in 2020 fell $240 billion below the Association’s pre-pandemic forecast for the year. Some establishments could not withstand the economic battery of the pandemic. The report revealed that as of 01st December, 2020, more than 110,000 food and beverage outlets were closed for business either temporarily or for good. Those eateries that have managed to stay open have seen their in-house dining take a sharp nosedive, with Satista placing the year-over-year decline of seated diners in restaurants in America at 13.74% in April, 2021, compared with 2019.

Restaurants are clamoring to overcome these bleak circumstances, with valiant efforts being made to keep businesses afloat. Sweeping changes have been implemented across the boards, from operations to menus. The goal could not be more simple: stay safe and stay in business. Many restaurants have turned to technology to help them achieve this goal. According to the 2021 State of the Industry Report, 40% of operators across all 6 restaurant segments - quick serve, fast casual, family, fine dining, and coffee and snack - have incorporated technology into their day-to-day operations.

It is possible to digitize most processes in a restaurant. Online ordering, QR-generated menus, contactless payments, kitchen display systems and kiosks perform a range of important functions. These tech options help food and beverage establishments become more efficient. Automation also keeps costs low, providing much needed financial relief. Contactless tech is also the most effective safety measure any restaurant can put in place, protecting both staff and customers from infection.

How can kiosks help restaurants?

In pre-pandemic times, kiosks were used mainly by the bigger fast-food chains. However, the last year-and-a-half has seen restaurants across all categories installing kiosks. The main motivation for so many diners to turn to kiosks is safety. A self-ordering kiosk completely does away with face-to-face contact between guests and staff, keeping both parties safe from infection. While concerns were initially raised about the wide handling of a kiosk surface, this matter was easily resolved by placing a bottle of sanitizer by the kiosks for customers to use before and after touching the display. Most kiosks are easy to disinfect, needing only a simple wipe-down at regular intervals.

Given their safety value, kiosks are proving to be a tipping point in decisions on whether to eat out. According to recent surveys, over 60% of respondents affirmed that they would visit restaurants more often if they had kiosks. Of these, 30% expressed a preference for ordering via a kiosk over talking to a cashier when the lines were of equal length. Kiosks are a definite lure for customers and have the ability to convince reluctant guests to walk into a restaurant.

Beyond safety, kiosks add value to a restaurant in other important ways as well. An efficient, all-in-one option, kiosks help save time. They cover the entire order process, allowing customers to explore the menu, place their order and make payment. Once the order is confirmed, the kitchen is notified. The time taken for in-person conversation and clarification is eliminated. With each order shortened by a few minutes, the total order time saved by a restaurant is a phenomenal 40%.

Self-ordering kiosks are fully automated. Restaurants no longer need to have dedicated personnel to accept orders. This saves on labor, freeing staff to perform other duties, be it marketing, customer care, serving, planning, or any other vital task that would previously have been put on the backburner. Employees become a lot more productive as they are no longer weighed down by the often time-consuming jobs of taking orders and processing payments.

What makes a good kiosk and vendor?

Kiosks are a definite boon to a restaurant, especially in this pandemic-ravaged context. While there are plenty of kiosks in the market, not all of them can facilitate the kind of growth that is expected of this technology. In order to fully benefit from a kiosk, restaurateurs must choose the brand and vendor very carefully. The decision should be driven primarily by usability, adaptability, placement, and customer support.

The user interface of a kiosk must be intuitive and easy to navigate. Customers should feel comfortable browsing the menu, with a self-explanatory set of tabs and buttons that guide them through the order process in a logical and sensible manner. The display needs to be sufficiently large for easy reading, with the provision to include eye-catching images. Pictures are enticing and customers are more likely to order a dish when they see what it looks like. Visual representations provide clarity on what each dish comprises so customers know exactly what it is they are ordering.

There should be no fuss when introducing kiosks. Ideally, they should easily fit into a restaurant’s ecosystem, requiring no overhaul of any of the systems already in use. The type of kiosk to look for is one that poses no integration problems, a straightforward ‘plug-and-play’ type model. With such a brand, restaurants will be able to carry on utilizing their current processes with minimal to no disruption.

Where to keep kiosks is a question many restaurateurs grapple with. The devices need to be prominent enough to draw a customer’s attention, but should not in any way impede the flow of human traffic. Social distancing requirements have already caused enough complications in terms of table placement without kiosks adding to the confusion. For smaller dining rooms bulky devices are impractical because they get in the way. What is needed is a machine that is relatively leaner and will not take up an inordinate amount of space. Because kiosks make cashier counters redundant, it should be possible to locate them where these cashier counters used to be.

Excellent customer support is a must when purchasing kiosks. The vendor’s team should be on hand every step of the way to help restaurant staff. They should be available 24X7 for technical support. Above and beyond this, customer support should include assistance with customer success. An experienced vendor will be able to provide insight and advice on growing a customer base, marketing products, and running promotions. A good kiosk vendor is one who will work in partnership with a restaurant, enabling its prosperity.

How do kiosks help increase revenue?

The right kiosk will facilitate an increase in revenue for a restaurant. Upselling and cross-selling are two important strategies to persuade customers to spend more on each order. Kiosks with an intelligent recommendation capability will be able to identify items that are commonly bought together and suggest these during the selection process. These kiosks analyze purchase patterns and throw up frequent pairings. Studies have revealed that a customer is more likely to pay heed to recommendations on a screen over those made in person and so, with kiosks, there is a much higher chance of increasing the ticket value. Because the recommendations are automated there is no risk of human oversight and the possibility for unintended extra purchases is opened up with every single customer.

Data is vital to understanding customer behavior and preferences. When a kiosk is able to generate data analytics, a restaurant can gain valuable insight into their customers, designing their marketing plans and promotions accordingly. Decisions on what to sell and when will be informed by fact, maximizing the revenue. Restaurateurs can also use the figures to experiment with different combos that will draw more orders.

Moving forward with kiosks

The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the food and beverage industry. Restaurants are reeling from the losses made over the last year-and-a-half and are desperate for economic recovery. There is reason to be optimistic. The National Restaurant Association’s 2021 report on the State of the Restaurant Industry revealed that consumers are longing to visit restaurants again. According to the report, 8 in 10 adults believe that the taste experience of dining in just cannot be replicated at home, while 6 in 10 adults claimed that going to a restaurant was an essential part of their lifestyle. By installing kiosks restaurants can capitalize on customer sentiment and slowly begin to recoup the losses of 2020.

Published on https://www.applova.io/thought-leader/role-of-kiosk-reshaping